Winter's Looking Rosy In Rosemont As ICE SKATING RETURNS TO ROSEMONT'S PARKWAY BANK PARK

ICE SKATING RETURNS TO ROSEMONT'S PARKWAY BANK PARK FRIDAY, FROM NOVEMBER 23rd ON

Special Events Include “Light Up The Park” Tree Lighting and “Children’s Character Skate”

Rosemont’s Parkway Bank Park entertainment district is thrilled to kick off the holiday season with the return of the Chicago Wolves Ice Rink Friday, Nov. 23. Visitors can enjoy ice skating beginning at 11 a.m. in addition to several other holiday offerings available throughout the afternoon leading up to the Park’s annual “Light Up The Park” tree lighting event.

“The Chicago Wolves Ice Rink has become a winter tradition for Rosemont’s visitors,” said Rosemont Mayor Brad Stephens.  “The addition of the ice rink to Parkway Bank Park’s variety of dining and entertainment offerings provides a great holiday outing for all ages.”

A variety of family-friendly festivities will be available at “Light Up The Park” including visits with Santa and Mrs. Claus, free horse-drawn sleigh rides and ice carving viewing. Rosemont’s Mayor Brad Stephens will arrive at 5:30 p.m. to officially illuminate the Park with a spectacular display of more than 80,000 holiday lights. The ice rink will close for the evening at 11 p.m. Parkway Bank Park’s restaurants and entertainment venues will be open throughout the day.

The Chicago Wolves Ice Rink will be open every day through January 7, 2019. In addition to special holiday hours, the rink will also be open on Sundays through February 24, 2019.

Families can enjoy a special “Children’s Character Skate” every Sunday throughout the month of December from 9 a.m. – 11 a.m. Presented by Xfinity, children ages 12 and under are invited to visit the rink early and skate with their families alongside some special characters including:

The Incredibles (Dec. 2)
Jasmine & Aladdin (Dec. 9)
Wonder Woman & Super Man (Dec. 16)
Anna & Kristoff (Dec. 23)
Alice in Wonderland & The Mad Hatter (Dec. 30)

Admission to the Chicago Wolves Ice Rink is free. Guests are invited to bring their own skates. Skate rentals are also available on-site for $8. Below is a detailed schedule of ice skating hours:

Ice Skating 2018 Hours: November 24 – December 21
Mondays – Thursdays: 4 p.m. – 9 p.m.
Friday: 4 p.m. – 11 p.m.
Saturday: 11 a.m. – 11 p.m.
Sunday 11 a.m. – 11 p.m. (Children’s Character Skate begins at 9 a.m. on Sundays in December)

Ice Skating Special Holiday Hours: December 22 - January 7
Mondays – Sundays: 11 a.m. – 11 p.m.

Christmas Eve: 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Christmas Day: 4 p.m. – 11 p.m.
New Year’s Eve: 11 a.m. – 1 a.m.
New Year’s Day: 11 a.m. – 11 p.m.

Ice Skating 2019 Schedule and Hours: January 13 – February 24
Sundays: 4 p.m. – 10 p.m.

Martin Luther King Day (Jan. 21): 2 p.m. – 10 p.m.
President’s Day (Feb. 18): 2 p.m. – 10 p.m.

About Parkway Bank Park
Rosemont’s Parkway Bank Park entertainment district is a 200,000 square-foot complex home to 13 dining and entertainment venues offer upscale international cuisine, live music and comedy, state-of-the-art film, indoor skydiving, bowling and more. Conveniently located near O’Hare International Airport at 5501 Park Place, Parkway Bank Park is easily accessible from Chicago as well as the suburbs. A 20-minute drive from Chicago’s Loop, Parkway Bank Park is walking distance from the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center, the CTA Blue Line Rosemont station, Fashion Outlets of Chicago and the Rosemont Theatre. Convenient parking is available and is free with validation from any of the Park’s venues.

The current venues located within Parkway Bank Park include Adobe Gila’s, AMC Theatre (formerly Muvico), Big Ten Experience, Bub City, Five Roses Pub, Fogo de Chão, Hofbräuhaus Chicago, iFLY Indoor Skydiving, Joe’s Live, Kings Dining & Entertainment, Park Tavern, Sugar Factory, and Zanies Comedy Club. Harley-Davidson will open its newest area store at the entertainment district in 2019. The venues surround a great lawn that plays host to a variety of seasonal events including concerts, festivals and a winter ice rink. For more information, visit ParkwayBankPark.com.

About The Village of Rosemont
Rosemont, Illinois, Chicagoland’s business and entertainment suburb, is conveniently located five minutes from O’Hare Airport and twenty minutes from Chicago’s downtown. Easily accessible via the area’s major highways, Rosemont is home to the Allstate Arena, Donald E. Stephens Convention Center, a wide variety of hotel and dining options, Rosemont Theatre, Fashion Outlets of Chicago, Parkway Bank Park entertainment district and Impact Field. Rosemont continues to grow and evolve based on the new vision of Mayor Bradley A. Stephens. For more information, visit Rosemont.com.

It's “FROZEMONT” SEASON Again at MB FINANCIAL PARK in Rosemont

“FROZEMONT” ICE RINK AND 

POLAR PEAK TUBING HILL NOW OPEN

Attractions Include NHL-Sized Ice Rink For Free Ice Skating and Hockey Series, 

Winter Tubing Hill and More Family Fun

ChiIL Mama will be back out at Frozemont on December 11th for a press night and another 2015 photo/video recap on Polar Peak's opening weekend. In the meantime, click here to check out our coverage from last year's Polar Peak grand opening.

ChiIL Mama's daring daughter, Sage rocks Polar Peak and enjoys a dad n daughter skate.

With the holiday season approaching and temperatures dropping, MB Financial Park will once again transform into FROZEMONT, the season’s hot spot for winter fun. The whole family can beat the winter blues with FROZEMONT’s plethora of attractions including winter tubing, ice skating and a hockey series. “Temperatures may be falling, but fun and excitement are rising in MB Financial Park with the return of our FROZEMONT programming,” said Rosemont Mayor Brad Stephens. “Our thrilling outdoor attractions paired with the Park’s variety of incredible venues will definitely create the ultimate winter experience for our visitors.” FROZEMONT’s centerpiece is the two-story Polar Peak, which will take visitors on a tubing thrill ride from Dec. 11 through Jan. 31. This year’s hill promises an exciting tubing run down a steep grade. Constructed in partnership with StackBox Structures, Polar Peak features four distinct lanes, suitable for children ages three and older. Tubing tickets will be available on-site at the Polar Peak box office for $3 per run, with discounts available for multiple runs. Pricing is outlined below.             Runs          Cost 1-9             $3 each 10-19         $2.50 each 20 - 49       $2 each 50+            $1.50 each Adding to the excitement of Polar Peak’s opening weekend, MB Financial Park will host an ice carving competition Saturday, Dec. 12 from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Four local ice carvers will create spectacular works of art that are inspired by MB Financial Park’s winter attractions. The public is invited to vote for their favorite sculpture on-site during the event and the winning ice carver will receive a $500 cash prize. FROZEMONT would not be complete without one of its most popular attractions, ice skating. The Chicago Wolves Ice Rink will return to the park this winter, allowing its guests to skate under a magical display of glittering lights. The NHL-sized ice rink will officially open at 11 a.m. Friday, Nov. 27, serving as the official kickoff to the FROZEMONT season. Admission to the ice rink is free, with skate rentals available for $8. The winter fun continues into the New Year with FROZEMONT’s Winter Frost Face-Off hockey series. Returning to MB Financial Park for its third season, the series brings together kids, adults, and local Chicago hockey professionals to participate in a series of hockey games and competitions from Friday, Jan. 7 through Sunday, March, 2. For more information, visit www.200x85.com. Skating in the Park Regular Hours: Nov. 27 – Dec. 19 Monday -Thursday:                                4 p.m. – 9 p.m. Friday:                                                  4 p.m. – 11 p.m. Saturday:                                              11 a.m. – 11 p.m. Sunday:                                                11 a.m. – 9 p.m. Skating in the Park – Special Holiday Hours: Wednesday, Dec.23 – Sunday, Jan.3.  December 20: 11 a.m. –11 p.m. December 21: 11 a.m. – 11 p.m. December 22: 11 a.m. –11 p.m. December 23: 11 a.m. – 11 p.m. December 24: 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. December 25: 4 p.m. – 11 p.m. December 26: 11 a.m. – 11 p.m. December 27: 11 a.m. – 11 p.m. December 28:  11 a.m. – 11 p.m. December 29:  11 a.m. – 11 p.m. December 30: 11 a.m. – 11 p.m. December 31: 11 a.m. – 1 a.m. January 1: 11 a.m. – 11 p.m. January 2. 11 a.m. – 11 p.m. January 3: 11 a.m. – 11 p.m. Polar Peak Regular Hours: Dec. 11 – Jan. 31 Wednesday – Friday:                             4 p.m. – 8 p.m. Saturday – Sunday                                12 p.m. – 8 p.m. Extended Polar Peak Holiday Hours Dec. 21-Jan. 1 December 21- January 3: 12 p.m. – 8 pm                                    NOTE: Holiday Polar Peak Hours: Christmas Eve (December 24): 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. Christmas Day (December 25): 4 p.m. – 8 p.m. New Year’s Eve (December 31): 12 p.m. – 8 p.m. New Year’s Day (January 1): 12 p.m. – 8 p.m. Martin Luther King Day (January 18): Ice Skating Open: 2 p.m. – 10 p.m. Polar Peak Open: 12 p.m. – 8 p.m. Presidents Day Holiday (February 15): Ice Skating Open: 2 p.m. – 10 p.m.

The whole family enjoyed colorful tubing fun at Frozemont.

About The Village of Rosemont, Illinois: Rosemont, Illinois, Chicagoland’s business and entertainment suburb, is conveniently located five minutes from O’Hare Airport and twenty minutes from Chicago’s downtown. Rosemont is home to the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center, a wide variety of hotel and dining options, Allstate Arena, Rosemont Theatre and a host of entertainment and retail venues. Rosemont continues to grow and evolve based on the new vision of Mayor Bradley A. Stephens. For more information, visit www.Rosemont.com.

About The MB Financial Park at Rosemont: MB Financial Park at Rosemont is a 200,000 square-foot entertainment and dining complex whose 13 venues offer upscale international cuisine, live music and comedy, state-of-the-art film, bowling and more. Conveniently located near O’Hare International Airport, MB Financial Park at Rosemont is easily accessible from Chicago as well as the suburbs. The address is 5501 Park Place, a looping street situated west of River Road between Bryn Mawr and Balmoral Avenues.  A 20-minute drive from Chicago’s Loop, MB Financial Park at Rosemont is walking distance from the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center, the CTA Blue Line Rosemont station, Fashion Outlets of Chicago and the Rosemont Theatre. Convenient parking is available and is free with validation from any of the park’s venues. For more information, visit www.mbparkatrosemont.com.

Photo Feature: Grand Opening of Polar Peak at #Frozemont #PolarPeak #OriginalPhotos #Video #Review

NEW FOUR-STORY “POLAR PEAK” TAKES GUESTS ON A FAST-PACED THRILL RIDE WITH TUBING, SHOVEL RACES AND 

SLED BOX DERBY DEC. 12 – JAN. 19

Tired of flat, wet Illinois? There's a magical place with a tube hill, ice skating and snow... and we're not talkin' the North Pole. Just a little bit north of Chicago lies Frozemont and Polar Peak, a mini winter wonderland of active fun. 

My fearless girl rockin' the tube hill. Wish we had a GoPro.



Dug, kickin' up some spray.



Even the Chicago Wolves mascot, Skates, got in on the tubing action. 



Check it out. We caught him on video!

Photo Credit: City of Rosemont

Photo Credit: City of Rosemont

This Winter, Rosemont Becomes “FROZEMONT”

We had a blast with the new Polar Peak. It's a fast ride. The bottom of the track is a bit bumpy and jarring now, but I'm sure the texture will change as more people tube down and once we add real now to the mix. Also, just a FYI, we do have a friend who went so far at the bottom she hit the fence. She wasn't injured and was used to sledding, but it might be a deal breaker for the novice. That said, Frozemont is great, all ages fun.



Just be sure you get the right boots back when you're done. Dad's got some big shoes to fill!



Check out our full set of shots in the slideshow here and favorites embedded at the end of our feature.

As snowflakes fall this winter, the Chicago area’s newest hotspot for winter fun is MB Financial Park at Rosemont’s FROZEMONT attraction, complete with winter tubing, ice skating, a hockey series and more fun for the whole family.

“Falling temperatures are no reason to retreat indoors,” said Rosemont Mayor Brad Stephens. “MB Financial Park has a great series of winter attractions that make sure that every visitor has a great time, no matter what the temperature.”

FROZEMONT’s centerpiece is the four-story “Polar Peak,” which will take visitors on a tubing thrill ride Dec. 12 – Jan. 19. Anyone seeking the ultimate snow tubing experience should look no further than Polar Peak’s 260-foot run which will send them racing down a steep grade. Sponsored by “Disney on Ice presents Frozen” and constructed in partnership with StackBox Structures, Polar Peak features five distinct lanes, include a less steep lane for younger children. Tickets for Polar Peak will go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday, Oct. 3. Tickets can be purchased online at www.mbparkatrosemont.com/frozemont or onsite for $20 per hour. Information on group rates, hours and more is available online.

The excitement continues at Polar Peak with Shovel Racing and a Sled Box Derby scheduled for Dec. 27 and 28. More details regarding these events will be announced at a later date.

Photo Credit: City of Rosemont

OTHER ATTRACTIONS INCLUDE NHL-SIZED ICE RINK FOR FREE SKATING AND HOCKEY SERIES, SPECIAL PERFORMANCES AND MORE FAMILY-FRIENDLY WINTER FUN

For the past three years, one of MB Financial Park’s most popular winter attractions has been its NHL- sized ice rink. Surrounded by a dazzling display of glittering lights, the rink opens to the public for free Skating in the Park. 

    

Other FROZEMONT winter festivities include the Winter Frost Face Off hockey series. The series will return to MB Financial Park for a second season to bring together kids, adults, and local Chicago hockey professionals to participate in a series of hockey games and competitions from Jan. 9 through March 1. A complete schedule of games will be announced at a later date. 

About The Village of Rosemont, Illinois: Rosemont, Illinois, Chicagoland’s business and entertainment suburb, is conveniently located five minutes from O’Hare Airport and twenty minutes from Chicago’s downtown. Rosemont is home to the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center, a wide variety of hotel and dining options, Allstate Arena, Rosemont Theatre and a host of entertainment and retail venues. Rosemont continues to grow and evolve based on the new vision of Mayor Bradley A. Stephens. MB Financial Park at Rosemont features an array of great dining and entertainment options. For more information, visit www.Rosemont.com.

About The MB Financial Park at Rosemont: MB Financial Park at Rosemont is a 200,000 square-foot entertainment and dining complex whose 13 venues offer upscale international cuisine, live music and comedy, state-of-the-art film, indoor skydiving, bowling and more. Conveniently located near O’Hare International Airport, MB Financial Park at Rosemont is easily accessible from Chicago as well as the suburbs. The address is 5501 Park Place, a looping street situated west of River Road between Bryn Mawr and Balmoral Avenues. A 20-minute drive from Chicago’s Loop, MB Financial Park at Rosemont is walking distance from the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center, the CTA Blue Line Rosemont station, Fashion Outlets of Chicago and Rosemont Theatre. Convenient parking is available. For more information, visit www.mbparkatrosemont.com.

                                              Photo Credit: City of Rosemont


More of our Favorite Photos:

Snow fun for Sage!

We ran into old friends Amy B. and Chiara of the blog, Amy Writes.

We were stuck in traffic so long coming out from Chicago during rush hour that we missed the press opening food at Sugar and I got literally the last inch of hot cocoa, but we had a great time anyway.

Stop hibernating and check it out! Click here for hours and more details.

Click here for the Polar Peak LIVE Feed Cam!  

INCOMING: The 2014 Hilton HHonors Skate America & Discount Code

ChiIL out with ChiIL Mama 

and our 

#ChiILPicksList 

for the coolest events 

in Chi, IL 

and beyond.

  Come see a colorful cast of characters including Illinois' own Jason Brown who has won Olympic silver and bronze and 

Gracie Gold, 2014 U.S. champion, who won Olympic bronze.

Want to see some stunningly cool Olympic athletes rocking their mad skills on the ice? The 2014 Hilton HHonors Skate America will feature 60 world-class athletes competing over three days at the Sears Centre in Hoffman Estates. Check out ChiIL Mama for a chill discount code below.

Disclosure: ChiIL Mama is happy to partner up with Hilton HHonors Skate America and they have provided our readers with a discount code. As always, all opinions are our own.

The 2014 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Series will begin Oct. 24-26 with 2014 Hilton HHonors Skate America in Chicago. The field at Skate America will feature several members of the 2014 U.S. Olympic Figure Skating Team. 

Three local athletes will be competing at Skate America including: 2014 U.S. silver medalist and 2014 Olympic Team Event bronze medalist Jason Brown (Highland Park; now lives and trains in Monument, Colo.), 

Brown

2014 U.S. champion and 2014 Olympic Team Event bronze medalist Gracie Gold (trained in Springfield until September 2013 and is now based in Hermosa Beach, Calif.) 

Gold

and 2013 U.S. pairs silver medalist Alexa Scimeca (Addison; now lives and trains in Colorado Springs).

Scimeca and Knierim 

All of ChiIL Mama's readers are winners. Click HERE and use the ticket discount code SAC75 (valid on all sessions) for $5 off the $35 and $25 tickets. 

Click here for more event information (including a list of competitors, schedule and ticket information). 

The Grand Prix Series, entering its 20th season, incorporates six international figure skating competitions as a unified point-scoring series that awards prize money to eligible skaters. At the conclusion of the series, athletes’ points are totaled, and the top six ladies, men, pairs and ice dance teams are invited to compete at the 2014 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final. The Grand Prix Final is scheduled for Dec. 11-14 in Barcelona, Spain.

The complete list of athlete selections for the 2014 Grand Prix Series is available at www.isu.org.

Click here for some rockin' YouTube Clips of the 2013 Hilton HHonors Skate America competition highlights (courtesy U.S. Figure Skating).

Disclosure: Once again, ChiIL Mama is happy to partner up with Hilton HHonors Skate America and they have provided a discount for our readers. As always, all opinions are our own.

New Chicago Park District Site-Polar Adventure Day This Saturday, and More...

We're huge fans of The Chicago Park District and have taken numerous classes through them since the kids were born.   There's a long overdue, more user friendly, Chicago Park District Site up.   And finally, family information will be saved in the system!    Can't say I'll miss the writer's cramp from filling out a zillion emergency and registration forms...multiple times...for both kids...at numerous parks...every 10 weeks.   Everyone needs to sign up again, even if you had an account on the old site, but once you're in, you're in! 

February 6th, spring classes will be listed on the site.   February 21st, on line registration with the new site opens at 9am.

In the mean time, check out their excellent events.   Click the links for our photo filled, past coverage.   We highly recommend:

• Polar Adventure Days, 1-21 from 12-4pm
• Free Ice Skating
• Sledding 

Chinese New Year celebrations are also happening this weekend, and Winter Fest is slated for next weekend.